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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28083795">How many dates does it take to fall in love?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingsloth/pseuds/dancingsloth'>dancingsloth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Blind Date, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, brief mentions of homophobia, i'll add more tags as i write, just a lot of fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:08:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,066</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28083795</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingsloth/pseuds/dancingsloth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Falling in love can be a slow or quick process depending on the people. For Oikawa and Iwaizumi, how long will it take for them to experience love?</p><p>This is a series that follows every date that leads up to a revelation of their true feelings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Dinner Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey y'all, I'm posting this chapter for now to get the ball rolling. I probably won't be posting the rest of the chapters until I've fully finished it. For now, enjoy and I hope you look forward to the next ones!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Oikawa rubbed the hair wax in his hands, making the substance more malleable before smoothing down the sides of his hair. He swiftly raked his fingers through the front, trying to make the top as fluffy as he could. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, please stop. You’ve redone your hair several times, it looks just fine,” his friend said, sitting cross legged on the side of the bed, aimlessly scrolling through his phone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa huffed, finally letting his hands rest by his side. “I know, but I have to look absolutely perfect. I promised I wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste.” His hands, too nervous to stay still, reached up to fix the collar on his button up. “And the fit?” he asked, quickly checking himself out before twirling around to face Makki. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just fine,” Makki reiterated, looking up with a bored expression. “I told you at least twice the black jeans would match that top so much more. And look, I was right.” Oikawa twirled once again to face the mirror, glancing at his ripped jeans, the pale pink shirt haphazardly tucked in on purpose, and once again at his tousled brown hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could feel Makki’s frustration before he even attempted to fix his hair again. “Alright, I think this is okay. It has to be or I'll keep rethinking it.” He walked over to grab his two options for footwear. His old trusty black vans, that survived all of high school and managed to survive college thus far, and some basic black combat boots worn only on rare occasions. “Okay Makki, the final piece to the puzzle: which pair of shoes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Makki leaned his chin into his hand and gave him a once over. “The combat boots, for sure.” Oikawa questioned his choice for just a moment before deciding he was right. “Oikawa, it’s just a date, there’s no reason to be overthinking this much,” his friend said, standing up to stretch himself out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I haven’t been on a date in so long! And you and your boyfriend were kind enough to set this up for me. And you keep telling me how good of a guy he is. And-,” Oikawa kept spiraling until Makki interrupted him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it’s been a while, but it’s time you get yourself out there. Mattsun only brought him up because he’s in a similar situation to yours. Also, even if he’s a good guy, it’s okay if you don’t click. The fact that you even accepted to go on this date shows how far you’ve come.” He walked over to place a hand on Oikawa’s shoulder. “Plus, you look hot as hell, so if he can’t see that he’s definitely not worth your time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa’s mouth twitched into a small smile. “You’re right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged. “I always am.” As Oikawa slid on the boots, Makki walked over to the breezeway to grab his set of keys. “Meet me by the car when you’re ready. I’ll drive you!” he called out as he opened the front door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait!” Oikawa exclaimed as he fastened a silver watch onto his wrist, “if you’re driving how the hell am I supposed to get home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get a ride from your date!” Makki hollered, smirk evident just by his tone, before slamming the door behind him. Oikawa rolled his eyes as he walked over to the mirror one last time. He did look pretty hot. He glanced around the place, grabbing the essentials, letting out one last uneasy sigh and followed after Makki. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Time passed quickly as they drove to their destination. Makki filled the silence Oikawa seemed to create in their conversation with light teasing and jokes, making Oikawa feel even more comfortable. Before long, he was pulling into the parking lot of a family restaurant, and as he put the car into park the conversation came to an abrupt halt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ready?” Makki asked, his voice a lot softer than usual. Oikawa could tell he was concerned. Even after all that complaining, he still never wanted his friend to feel unsafe.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” He let out a dry laugh, noticing for the first time he was picking at his nails. He probably was the entire drive here. “But at this point I don’t think I’m ever going to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Makki leaned back into his car seat, finally looking over at his best friend. “That's okay. This date doesn’t have to go perfect, hell, it doesn’t even have to go well. What matters is you go out there and you try. And you know that if anything feels off, you can call me right away and I’ll pick you up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa let out another laugh, but this time it was of relief. “What would I do without you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably die in a ditch somewhere,” Makki said with no hesitation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa lightly punched him in the arm. “Give me some kind of credit here.” Makki shook his head and stuck his tongue out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop stalling and get the hell out of my car. By the way, Mattsun texted me and Iwaizumi is already inside. He's wearing a white shirt and jean jacket. And also sitting alone. That’s probably a good indicator.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” Oikawa paused. “I guess it's go time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Makki nodded. “Go time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Oikawa got out of the car, pausing one last time. “Keep that phone handy, just in case.” Makki waved his phone playfully, before heading off. Oikawa picked his head up. The walk to the entrance door seemed to stretch away from him, and the sign over it worn out from years of rain damage seemed daunting. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I just have to try</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He sucked in a quick breath, hoping the air would give him any shred of confidence, and headed towards the entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he walked through he alerted the hosts that his friend was already waiting inside and went on the search. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit, I should’ve asked Makki where he was sitting</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought to himself as he walked through the aisles of booths. He was just about to give up and text Makki, until he got to the last row and saw a man sitting by himself. He was wearing a light blue jean jacket and white v-neck shirt, and also sitting alone, matching every description. He made his way over before his body attempted to turn him around and head back home. His date was lost in his phone, and didn’t notice him until Oikawa spoke. “Um, hi, are you Iwaizumi?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His date looked up in surprise and all of Oikawa’s nerves came rushing back. Not because he was scared or intimidated, but because good lord his date was </span>
  <em>
    <span>attractive as fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His skin tone was beautifully tanned and his light colored clothing only accentuated this fact. His hair was a darker brown, short and spiky, the texture a complete contrast to Oikawa’s floof. And the eyes that peered into his were a faded shade of green, so faded they could’ve passed as gray. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a few seconds of silence before the other finally spoke up. “Ah, yes, sorry I’m Iwaizumi.” He made a move to stand up before rethinking and settling back into the booth seat. “You must be Oikawa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice was a lot deeper than Oikawa expected. In a good way. Oikawa slid into the seat across from him and nodded. “Yeah, sorry I’m a little late. Took a little longer for me to get ready than I had originally planned.” Internally, he questioned if that info was safe to reveal or if it gave away how he actually spent most of his day panicking. But Iwaizumi only smiled and nodded in understanding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s perfectly fine.” Oikawa rubbed his hands on his thighs as a slightly awkward silence hung in the air. Their waitress gave him a false sense of relief as she took their drink orders because as soon as she left the awkwardness flowed right back in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both spoke at the same time causing them both to break out in laughter that released the tension encompassing them. “You go first,” Oikawa gestured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heh, thanks. So how do you know Hanamaki and Mattsun?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Makki and I have been friends since high school. We were both on the volleyball team. I only know Mattsun through him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, are you serious?” Iwaizumi said incredulously, his eyes opened wide. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa was taken aback. “Is there something wrong with that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god, no, no that’s so crazy. That’s basically how me and Mattsun met.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s such a crazy coincidence!” Oikawa finally relaxed into his seat. He was glad to find a topic he was comfortable with and even better: a similar interest. “So you played volleyball in highschool too? What position?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was a wing spiker and then ace my senior year.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s certainly impressive. I was a setter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you still play?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah...not anymore.” Oikawa paused before moving on. “I injured my knee badly my senior year. Managed to make it to the match that would decide if we would go to nationals before it gave out on me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sorry if I brought up something uncomfortable.” Iwaizumi glanced away, looking a little upset at himself for bringing up the topic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it! It sucked for a while, but it's not like I still can’t play. I just can’t play full matches.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that's good to hear,” Iwaizumi said, his expression softening. “So, if you still play, I help coach a middle school team after school and get free reign of the gym when they leave. I play with some old friends, including Mattsun, a couple days a week there, if you ever want to join in.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa briefly fantasized about a Coach Iwaizumi before exclaiming, “I would love to!” maybe a little too excitedly. His face flushed for a second before smiling shyly. “Sorry, I guess I do miss playing more than I thought I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iwaizumi chuckled into a hand. The ends of his eyes crinkled as his cheeks rose to meet them. Oikawa couldn't help but think how adorable he looked when he smiled. “I’m glad I brought it up then. Makki knows about it, but he doesn't show up much. You’re free to come together if that makes you more comfortable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will a thousand percent take you up on that offer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After finally settling into a pleasant conversation, the waitress returned with their drinks and stood ready to take their order. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I ask you a more personal question?” Oikawa risked asking after their waitress left the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go ahead.” Iwaizumi took a sip of water to internally prepare. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I was talking about you with Makki on our drive here, and he kind of implied as a side comment that you haven’t really been looking to date for a while. Not saying that’s a bad thing, since it's the same with me, but I just don’t want to start something that’s destined to go nowhere.” When Iwaizumi didn’t speak up, Oikawa followed up with, “It’s ok if you don’t want to talk about it though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I don’t mind talking about it, just trying to find the right words to get my point across. I guess it never really was about me not looking to date, but more not really feeling ready. I didn’t come out until last year and so I had only ever been on dates with girls. I think I was just nervous about actually going on a date with a guy because I wasn't sure if I was prepared to be out with the entire world. But Mattsun really helped me through it and I finally felt ready to go for it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa wasn’t expecting that answer. “I appreciate the honesty. I came out in highschool so I’ve had time to process my anxieties about it. Just know that it does get easier, because it’s so much easier to be yourself than someone you’re not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iwaizumi smiled. “That’s exactly what Mattsun told me. And you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa tilted his head. “And me what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why haven't you been on the dating scene in a while?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh nothing as complex as yours. I had a really bad breakup about a year ago with someone I was dating since my second year of highschool. It kinda...messed me up for a while, but I’m finally starting to feel better, so I thought it was time to get out there again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It sure isn’t easy,” Iwaizumi laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, ain’t that the truth.” Oikawa pondered on whether or not he should say his next thought out loud. It’s hard to try and bare your heart after it’s been torn to pieces, but he remembered Makki’s words, to try, and so he did. “But honestly, being on this date with you makes it feel like putting myself out there is easy. So much easier than I was making it seem. I’m glad I chose to go out on this date with you.” He could feel his smile widening and moved his hand up to cover it slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iwaizumi’s eyes lit up, and while his cheeks stayed bare, the tips of his ears seemed to turn red. “I’m glad I decided to go on this date with you too. You’re too cute for words. I was literally stunned into silence when I first saw you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa immediately stopped smiling as his face completely flushed. He covered it in his hands, groaning a little, struggling to not look at the expression that went along with Iwaizumi’s laughter. As if on cue to save him from embarrassment, a man came bearing their trays of food. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the night went smoothly; Oikawa managed to keep finding new topics to dwell on and any gaps were easily filled by Iwaizumi. Time flied by, and soon the only thing left on their table was the check.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I hate to ask this, but Makki drove me here. Do you mind giving me a ride home?” Oikawa asked as they left the restaurant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind at all.” Iwaizumi twirled his keys around his fingers as he led Oikawa to his car. The drive back to his apartment was spent with more idle chit chat. Iwaizumi had the radio on low and his window rolled slightly down, the sounds adding to the atmosphere. Oikawa glanced over during a lull in the conversation to see Iwaizumi’s head resting on his hand, a smile dancing on his lips as he faintly sang to the tune emanating from the speakers. The moonlight gently illuminated his face, highlighting the outline of his head and especially those green-gray eyes. He couldn’t believe he was so reluctant this morning, so nervous, so worried. Now everything felt right, felt normal. He felt human again after so long and only after a single date. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other noticed him staring after a while. “Is there something on my face?” Iwaizumi joked, his eyes darting to Oikawa’s before settling back on the road. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa hummed in response, tracing where the moonlight stuck to him with his eyes before turning back to face the front. “Maybe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iwaizumi softly snickered as they pulled into the lot. “I believe this is your stop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa grabbed his bag as he motioned for the door. He stepped out and closed it as Iwaizumi rolled down the window. “I really appreciate you driving me home,” he said, his voice low as to not disturb the night’s mood, and leaned to rest his elbows on the car door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No worries.” They both stood there, neither wanting to make the first move to leave. “I had fun today. Next time, I’ll choose the spot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Next time?” Oikawa was so elated about this time, he wasn’t even thinking about a next time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Iwaizumi pursed his lips, “was I getting ahead of myself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa furiously shook his hands. “Oh no, I would fucking love a next time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iwaizumi sighed in relief. “Perfect. I'll text you.” He started to roll up the window when Oikawa suddenly put his hand on the rising glass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how are you supposed to text me when you don’t have my number?” Iwaizumi paused before rubbing his hand against his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so glad you have the ability to think,” Iwaizumi murmured as he handed his phone over to Oikawa. Oikawa chucked to himself as he typed his number in then texted himself. He may have also not so sneakily put a heart emoji next to his own contact name, just to be annoying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be waiting for that text,” Oikawa winked, handing over his phone before turning to head back in. He hesitated at the doors to his complex, his hand on the handle, to look back at the car. Iwaizumi widened his eyes when he was caught staring, and shyly gave a small wave before driving off. When he was out of sight, Oikawa ran as fast as he could into his apartment, immediately calling Makki as soon as the door was shut. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Makki picked up instantly. “So, I’m guessing since I didn’t get this call right away, things went well?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oikawa sighed dreamily. “Oh, it went better than well. It went perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You better tell me </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How many dates does it take to fall in love? Certainly not just one.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm gonna be honest, I like future chapters a lot more than this one, so look forward to them! This one was just your typical awkward dinner date. Trying to get back into writing so obviously, this first chapter was a struggle lol.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Movie Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oikawa played with his fingers as he waited awkwardly inside the movie theater. He made sure each finger got their own time for attention, paying special consideration to the spaces underneath his nails and the weird flabby part hanging on top of his knuckles. He surveyed the area once more, checking for his date he knew would not be there. Oikawa came early, maybe too early. He nervously rubbed the slender appendages together before whipping out his phone to check the time. </p><p>
  <em>1:45</em>
</p><p>Oikawa sighed in relief, grateful there were only fifteen minutes left until the designated meeting time. He mentally slapped himself for the upteenth time for coming so early. Ever since their first date, he had been looking forward to the next, and he didn't have to wait very long. Their first text exchange was the morning after their restaurant date. It only took two more days for Iwaizumi to text him about a movie he had been looking forward to and if Oikawa wanted to see it together. Oikawa instantly agreed, the date was set for that weekend, and excitement quickly settled in. The following days, the excitement hit the setter like waves, hitting him and then receding over and over again. The excitement was in high tide on the big day and Oikawa was awake way too early. Unable to fall back asleep, he simply got ready as soon as possible and ended up arriving way ahead of schedule, hoping Iwaizumi was going through the same process. However, arriving an hour and a half before the meeting time was a huge miscalculation and Oikawa had been distracting himself ever since. </p><p>He was about to inspect the floor for said distraction when a familiar short brown haircut caught his eye. As soon as he realized who was there, the person met his eyes and smiled. </p><p>“Hey Oikawa,” Iwaizumi greeted with a wave as he headed over to his location. “You’re here early.”</p><p><em>You have no idea.</em> “So are you! Come on let’s head inside, I don’t want to miss the previews.” Oikawa thought about grabbing onto Iwaizumi’s hand to guide him inside but decided against it. <em>Is it too early for that? I’ve forgotten the timing for all this.</em></p><p>“Wait, you actually like the previews?” Iwaizumi questioned, his eyebrows furrowed in shock. </p><p>“It’s just one of my quirks,” Oikawa smirked and walked further in, Iwaizumi right behind him glancing momentarily at the space between them. They stopped by the concession stand to purchase popcorn before heading to their assigned seats. The lights dimmed, and Oikawa took it upon himself to comment on every preview that they showed on screen. </p><p>“I just don’t get it,” Oikawa remarked on a romantic comedy trailer, “it’s like romance writers don’t have any originality anymore. The genre is just turning into like a hallmark movie.” He frustratedly ate popcorn. He actually really enjoyed trashy romance movies, and if he was with Makki, his friend would certainly tell him he was going to watch it regardless. </p><p>“Eh, all of Hollywood is turning into a hallmark movie in recent years. It’s just sequels no one cares about, remakes no one cares about, and the same stories told a million times with different actors,” Iwaizumi criticized. </p><p>“Sometimes, with the same actors,” Oikawa scoffed. “But every once and a while you get a gem that stands out amongst all the rubble.”</p><p>“I really hope this movie is that gem. I saw the reviews were good and Makki said you enjoyed sci-fi,” Iwaizumi said looking over at Oikawa who was picking more popcorn out. He gazed at those slender fingers and watched as they pressed the salty snacks into his mouth. Iwaizumi realized he was staring too much, and returned his stare to the screen. </p><p>“Aw, you even asked my friends what I like. I appreciate all the effort you put into this, even though this is such a stereotypical date spot,” Oikawa teased. Iwaizumi smirked and bumped into his shoulder. </p><p>“Whatever. Anyways, I hope it lives up to expectations. I would hate to make you watch a boring movie.” </p><p>“Don’t worry, if it’s boring I’m sure we can find something more exciting to do,” Oikawa flirted. Iwaizumi’s ears turned red as he turned away. <em>Shit, was that too much?</em></p><p>“Shut up,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he bumped shoulders with Oikawa again, this time letting them stay rested together. <em>Phew, okay, not too much. But, maybe I should hold back a little.</em></p><p>The previews finally ended and the screen lit up with the opening scene. The plot was pretty easy to follow. A group of scientists were up in space, studying the surge of an appearance of microorganisms discovered on the moon. They started out as just a harmless research project,  and seemed simply like they were the beginning of new life forms that could handle the moon’s harsh environment. But as time went on, the scientists discovered that their life spans were very short, as if they weren’t meant to last long in the first place, as if they were just food grown for consumption…In comes the giant alienistic monsters actually living on the moon. They had human-like features, bipedal, with four beady eyes on the sides of their large heads, and hunched backs. They were a disgusting dark green color with yellow tinted slime oozing off them. </p><p>“God those things actually look creepy,” Iwaizumi started as he turned to get a read on Oikawa’s opinion. Oikawa’s eyes were wide with wonder and he seemed mesmerized by these creatures. </p><p>“Creepy?” Oikawa whisper yelled as he turned to face Iwaizumi, “They look fucking cool. I mean, they have two rows of teeth and their ooze lets them stick to surfaces. Plus, they’ve managed to survive by absorbing these microscopic organisms like the roots of trees absorb nutrients from the ground. You can’t tell me that’s not sick as hell.”</p><p>Iwaizumi looked surprised by the adoration in his date's voice, but eased back into his seat, content in just looking at his reactions. Every time a new feature about the alien was revealed, Oikawa sat up more in his seat, unconsciously leaned forward, completely invested. Iwaizumi liked watching his eyes glow and how his mouth seemed to drop further as the movie progressed. Eventually, he turned his attention to Oikawa’s arm resting on the armrest between them. He glanced down to his own lonely hand. <em>Is it too soon? Will he mind me making this move? I wonder how he’ll react…</em> Out of curiosity, Iwaizumi began to reach out his hand for Oikawa’s.</p><p>He first tentatively placed the pads of his fingers on Oikawa's forearm. The other paused as his skin jumped from the sudden contact. Iwaizumi watched him with careful eyes, gaging his reaction before sliding his fingers up, eventually reaching his palm. He let his touch linger for a moment. Oikawa huffed in frustration as he slid his arm down to catch Iwaizumi’s fingers between his. Iwaizumi exhaled out a breathy laugh before allowing Oikawa to fully intertwine their fingers together. <em>I guess this isn’t too soon</em>, they both thought, their touch breaking an unspoken barrier between them. Oikawa shuffled down in his seat to place his head on Iwaizumi’s shoulder, looking to make as much contact as he could get away with now that Iwaizumi had finally made his move.</p><p>They watched the rest of the movie in that position, the feeling of skin on skin contact and the body heat shared between them made it impossible for Oikawa to focus on anything else. He was actually really enjoying the movie, but he enjoyed the butterflies Iwaizumi gave him much, much more. As the movie came to its inevitable end, Iwaizumi was the first to break contact. Oikawa pouted as he stood up after him, but was instantly satiated when Iwaizumi reached behind him to hold hands once again. They walked out of the theaters, hand in hand, the first boundary crossed. </p><p>How many dates does it take to fall in love? Not two.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hey y'all, i'm not finished writing everything yet but i've decided as long as i stay ahead a few chapters i'll upload the past ones. plus, this one was short and sweet!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Mini Golf Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Wait, hold on, you two haven’t even kissed yet?” Makki, in the middle of raiding Oikawa's closet, spun around. “You’ve been talking to each other for at least a month and a half at this point, you've gone on a couple of dates, you hang out basically every day after classes, and you haven’t kissed?”</p><p>Oikawa shrugged his shoulders and held up a t-shirt in front of his chest. “I just want to take this slow. You know, I don’t really want to rush into anything.” He gave a pointed look to his reflection in the mirror and went hunting for a different top. </p><p>“SLOW? Oikawa fucking Tooru is taking things slow?” Makki didn’t move from his position, stunned into place. </p><p>“Just because I had a hoe phase doesn’t mean I’m going to rush into every relationship. Look, I’ve been thinking and I’ve decided I do want to take this one slow. Right now, I’m really comfortable with the way things have been going. Plus, I don’t want to like make him think I’m just with him for sex.” Oikawa held up a basic navy blue tee and smiled approvingly to himself. </p><p>“Are you seriously comparing kissing to sex right now. <em>Please </em>tell me you aren’t <em>actually </em>saying kissing and having sex are the same thing.” Oikawa balled up one of the discarded t-shirts lying on the floor and chucked it straight at Makki’s head. </p><p>“I am <em>not</em>. I am just saying I want to go at my own pace. And if that means waiting a few months to kiss him, then that’s that.” </p><p>Makki unfurled the balled up shirt, deciding it was fine, and threw it on. “Fine, but if you really make your dream man, your words not mine, wait one more day for a goddamn kiss I <em>will </em>be posting your brief goth phase from seventh grade all over your social media.”</p><p>Oikawa whipped his head back. “You wouldn’t. You can’t even access my accounts.”</p><p>“Oikawa, you made me memorize all your passwords our second year of high school so I could post pictures of me in my house so your parents wouldn’t suspect you were actually fooling around with your boyfriend. I would.”</p><p>Oikawa took a second to process the truth in his words. “Okay, listen, if the mood is there and I feel comfortable enough I won’t reject a kiss.” Makki bobbed his head in acceptance. “<em>But</em>, if I don’t feel comfortable or I simply just don’t want to kiss him in that moment, my dream man will just have to keep on waiting.”</p><p>“I guess that’s the best answer I could ask for,” Makki sighed, giving up, “now are we thinking yes hat or no hat?”</p><p>*	*	*</p><p>Oikawa and Makki, who decided yes hat, exited the complex to see Mattsun and Iwaizumi talking next to a sleek black SUV. Iwaiumi glanced away during the conversation to catch the two of them heading over and gave a small smile and wave. </p><p>“Hey, you two didn’t take an eternity to get ready like I assumed!” Mattsun called out. Makki responded by smacking him in the stomach, then giving him a quick peck on the lips when Mattsun leaned forward in pain. </p><p>“I don’t know why you always include me when it’s Oikawa who takes forever. I swear if I ever see him try and redo his hair one more time…” Makki sighed dramatically. </p><p>“Like you’re one to talk. You spent at least ten minutes deciding what color shoes you wanted to wear.” Makki stuck his tongue out and Oikawa returned the gesture by flipping him off. </p><p>“So are we going to just stand here and fight, or do we actually want to play mini golf?” Iwaizumi laughed as he sneakily wrapped his arm around Oikawa’s waist. </p><p>“Mini golf!” the other three exclaimed excitedly. Oikawa was surprisingly looking forward to this double date of theirs. Ever since Makki suggested it, Oikawa wouldn’t stop pestering him until some sort of plans were in set motion. It didn’t really feel like they were a group of two couples; rather, it just felt like they were a group of four friends. Plus, it felt nice knowing he could openly flirt with Iwaizumi since no doubt the two troublemakers were going to be doing the same. </p><p>“Shotgun!” Makki exclaimed as he rushed into the passenger side seat. Oikawa rolled his eyes. They were taking Mattsun’s car, so of course Makki was going to be sitting up front. But he gave Makki the satisfaction of winning by moaning and complaining about how he <em>never </em>got shotgun in the boyfriend’s car. “Sucks loser, now get in the back,” Makki teased, knowing Oikawa was messing with him. </p><p>Oikawa and Iwaizumi slid into the back seat as Mattsun started the car. “As assigned passenger of my beloved boyfriend’s car, I am obviously the ruler over the aux cord and therefore will be in charge of today’s tunes,” Makki announced, quite loudly for being in an enclosed space. </p><p>Oikawa groaned. “Is there something wrong with his music tastes?” Iwaizumi whispered over to him. Before Oikawa could answer, the oh so famous All Star began blasting at full volume. Makki and Mattsun both immediately began singing along at the top of their lungs. </p><p>“There is everything wrong with his music taste. Sometimes he’ll actually play something good, but most of the time you get this.” Oikawa vaguely gestured to the duo bouncing uncontrollably to the beat. “Mattsun isn’t like this when you get rides from him?” Makki was already bad enough on his own, but when he was together with Mattsun, he somehow got even worse. The two of them managed to amplify both the best and worst qualities of each other. </p><p>“To be honest, I’m the one who typically drives us around.” He paused for a moment then shrugged. “And I’ve never really hung out with the two of them together.”</p><p>As the two up front began to try and sing over the other, Oikawa watched as Mattsun’s hand casually reached over and grabbed Makki’s, their hands meeting on the armrest in the middle and relaxing there. Oikawa felt a slight twinge of jealousy from how comfortable they felt with each other, but immediately shook it off and turned back to face Iwaizumi. “We should enjoy this time to talk while they’re distracted. I have a feeling we won’t be left unbothered for the rest of the day.” Iwaizumi chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the sides. Oikawa swooned. Iwaizumi’s expression when he was smiling was his favorite. </p><p>“I won’t waste our time then.” Iwaizumi’s hand slid out to grab Oikawa’s in a similar fashion to the casual show of affection he just witnessed, causing any leftover negative feelings to vanish. </p><p>The two talked while the team up front kept belting out lyrics to shitty songs. Their fingers played with the other’s, finding new ways to twist and touch so the contact connecting them never disappeared. This light method of flirting continued all the way to their destination.</p><p>They all stepped out of the car to be faced with the sun beating down on them from above. Spring was soon coming to an end, yet the warmth of summer seemed to have already arrived. </p><p>“Jesus, I did not think it was going to be this hot today,” Iwaizumi grumbled. He wiped his forehead and adjusted his cap. </p><p>“Me too. I’m regretting choosing no hat,” Oikawa sighed. His forehead wasn’t glistening, but the top of his head was trapping in all the heat. Makki turned around to make a point of twirling his hat around his finger before putting it right back on. </p><p>As the group headed towards the counter to pay, Iwaizumi stopped Oikawa by gently grabbing onto his arm. “Here.” Iwaizumi took off his hat and placed it onto Oikawa’s head. “Hopefully this helps.” Oikawa could feel his face heat up a bit, stemming from something other than the humidity in the air. Iwaizumi, to his dismay, noticed and chuckled before grabbing Oikawa’s hand and making them catch up to the others. </p><p>When they did catch up, Mattsun was already speaking to the attendant. “Yes for four.” Makki peered over to see Oikawa wearing something he definitely wasn’t just a moment ago. He whistled under his breath and Oikawa made a point not to acknowledge it. “Alright boys, what color golf ball do you want.”</p><p>“Blue.”</p><p>Oikawa and Iwaizumi looked at each other in shock when they gave the exact same answer at the same time. There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke.</p><p>“I’m always blue,” Oikawa pouted. </p><p>“Hm, maybe this time you can choose something else?” Iwaizumi smirked. The look in his eyes meant he definitely wasn’t going to give up easily. Oikawa never thought he would meet his match when it came to stubbornness. </p><p>“You can always be blue next time,” Oikawa challenged, his face getting closer to Iwaizumi’s. </p><p>“What a great idea! So I’ll be blue this time and you’ll be blue next time,” Iwaizumi provoked, moving even closer. The smirk on his face just grew wider. Oikawa could’ve sworn his eyes peered down for a second. </p><p>“Mattsun, just choose for them before they start making out,” Makki deadpanned, causing the two to blush and back up immediately. “Oh and I’m pink like always.”</p><p>“Luckily for them, they have two shades of blue. Oikawa you can have the light blue, Iwa you get the dark blue.” The two of them were too embarrassed to agree or disagree. Oikawa managed to lock eyes with Makki, who just grinned in response. “Alright, let’s actually play,” Mattsun said as he returned to hand out the putters and balls. </p><p>“I’ll keep score,” Makki said before heading off with Mattsun to the first hole.</p><p>Oikawa sighed. “I warned you we wouldn’t be left unbothered.” He glanced over to his date and gave an awkward smile. Iwaizumi copied his expression.</p><p>“Let’s hurry up before they get even more suspicious.” As they arrived at the first hole, Mattsun was already lining up his hit. He squinted his right eye, aiming the line on the club straight at the hole. With one quick hit, the ball rolled right in. </p><p>“Whoo! Starting off strong with a hole-in-one motherfuckers,” Mattsun cheered. He smugly looked over at Iwaizumi. “Try and beat that.”</p><p>“Um, excuse me, babe, why aren’t you challenging me?” Makki complained. In defiance, he placed his ball down, lined it up as best he could, and whacked it. The ball flew right over the edge and landed perfectly in a flowing stream. “Oh shit!” Makki screamed out and bolted after it, getting his hand soaked in germ infested waters. </p><p>“That’s exactly why,” Mattsun teased when his boyfriend came running back. Makki whined into his chest and gave up.</p><p>“Ok, my turn, why aren’t you challenging <em>me</em>,” Oikawa retorted, following Makki’s lead. Sure, he hadn’t played mini golf since middle school, but he was previously on his way to becoming a professional volleyball player. How hard could it actually be? </p><p>Apparently very hard since it took him six tries before the ball went in. “Oikawa, this is literally the first hole?” Makki said in disbelief. Oikawa twisted his face as he picked up the ball. </p><p>“I guess I’m only good at team sports?” He was honestly shocked at how bad he was. He was sure with enough time to study the sport and practice he would become unstoppable, but at this moment he was destined to do horribly. “Iwaizumi, please tell me you’re good at this.”</p><p>Iwaizumi shrugged. “Let’s find out.” He stood there, lined up the ball as best as he could, and hit it straight into the hole. He looked up to return Mattsun’s smug smile. “Starting off strong myself.” They stared at each other, a spark of competition beginning to grow. Oikawa turned to Makki to jokingly complain about them, but he was staring into a space no one else could see, gears turning in his head. Oikawa was about to ask him what was up, when something must have clicked and he looked up to face Oikawa, an indescribable light behind his eyes. Oikawa knew this look; Makki was about to start shit. </p><p>“Hey, I have an idea,” Makki said to the group. “Since Oikawa and I suck, a competition between all four of us would show clear victors. So instead, why don’t the two of you have a little match, to see who is the best,” he pointed to Iwaizumi and Mattsun. Mattsun looked at him, something clicking in him as well. Oikawa could feel his heart sinking. The two were perfectly in sync, which in this case, honestly most cases, was not a good thing. </p><p>“So, my love, you know me. I’m gonna need some motivation to do my best. What will be the prize for winning?” Mattsun said cheekily. </p><p>“Oh, baby, I was thinking for so long, but I think I’ve come up with just the thing!” He tapped his lips, making a point to look directly at Oikawa. “A kiss!”</p><p>Oikawa knew this was coming, but that didn’t stop his face from burning. His cheeks lit up from, embarrassment? Anger? He couldn't really tell. He wanted nothing more to pull Makki away from the group and cuss him out, but honestly it’s not like he didn’t <em>want</em> to kiss Iwaizumi. He just wanted to do it on his own terms. But, he knew as well as Makki, that if he tried to do it on his own time, there was a chance a kiss would never happen between them. </p><p>“What a perfect idea! Well, do you two agree to this arrangement?” Mattsun looked right at his best friend, who was looking at Oikawa for guidance. </p><p>Oikawa sighed. “Fine. I’ll agree. But on the condition that you two promise not to pull anymore shit like this today.” The three of them looked surprised to hear Oikawa’s admission, before Makki burst into a huge, clearly sarcastic, smile.</p><p>“Why of course!” He ran up to hug Oikawa’s arm. </p><p>Oikawa peered down to his friend, his face twisted. “If I find out Mattsun loses this on purpose the deal is off,” he whispered. </p><p>“Works for me. I’ll go promise to do something better for him so he’s sure to go all out.” Makki’s eyes darkened and smile widened. Oikawa could go without knowing what promise he would make with his boyfriend. “And you can let me know if you aren’t okay with this. I just knew if I didn’t do something you were gonna chicken out.” He looked sincere. </p><p>“No, you’re right. I’d let you know if I was genuinely mad.” Oikawa pushed Makki off, who immediately ran over to whisper something in Mattsun’s ear. As he did so, Iwaizumi approached him. </p><p>“Hey are you, like, okay with this? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” Iwaizumi looked a little concerned. </p><p>“I’m fine. This really is classic Makki and Mattsun behavior.” He felt slightly disheartened at Iwaizumi’s lack of interest. “Do you...not want to kiss me?” He let his eyes drop to his feet. </p><p>“No I do!” Iwaizumi said, a little too enthusiastically. He must’ve realized how eager he sounded and cleared his throat before continuing. “I’m sorry. I do.”</p><p>Oikawa sheepishly smiled, before bringing them closer together. “Then you better win.” Iwaizumi’s eyes widened before nodding seriously. </p><p>“Alright, let’s go! Iwaizumi I am not going easy on you. I hope you’re prepared to lose horribly!” Mattsun declared. He looked completely fired up. He ran up to grab Iwaizumi’s arm and yanked him forward towards the next hole. Iwaizumi looked back helplessly as he was dragged away. Makki walked up to join Oikawa, laughing. </p><p>“Good lord, what did you tell him?” Oikawa laughed with him. He watched as the two in front started fighting over who would go first. </p><p>“Do you really want to know?”</p><p>“No thanks. C’mon.” The two of them linked arms and caught up as Iwaizumi placed down his ball. As he swung, Mattsun moaned real loud before the ball was hit, causing Iwaizumi to flinch and the ball bounced awkwardly off the side, rolling right past the hole. </p><p>He whipped his head around, pissed off. “The hell was that for?” </p><p>“Let me remind you, I am not going easy on you,” Mattsun said, fire in his eyes. He wasn’t kidding. </p><p>“There’s gotta be something against this.” Iwaizumi said as he looked back desperately to Oikawa and Makki. The two of them shrugged. </p><p>“I didn’t say there were any rules. This is just an all out competition,” Makki said. </p><p>“If you really let Mattsun get to you like this, then you’re not worthy of my kiss,” Oikawa taunted, raising his chin up with a snobbish smile. Iwaizumi looked taken aback before shaking it off. </p><p>“Fine then, expect the same treatment from me,” Iwaizumi provoked. His eyes were dead set on Mattsun, the two of them getting even more into it. </p><p>Hole after hole was a trade off between them. Mattsun would par, Iwaizumi would score a birdie. Mattsun would get a hole in one, Iwaizumi would nail it in two. Each of them tried different methods to mess up the other, both trying to get any sort of advantage they could. Makki and Oikawa took their time. Oikawa gradually began to comprehend how much pressure to apply when swinging, the different stances he would have to take when facing hills and obstacles, and eventually managed to score within three shots. Makki still did not understand and knocked his ball into the water every other hole. Soon they arrived at the last hole, the two rivals in mini golf tied. </p><p>Makki was rubbing Mattsun’s shoulders. “You got this, all you have to do is beat this novice. You’ve been training for this moment your whole life, do not waste the opportunity given to you.”</p><p>“What are you doing, you guys play together like twice a year,” Oikawa said while standing next to Iwaizumi, watching the two idiots. </p><p>“Yeah, Oikawa, for two years! Two entire years of training, and right here, right now, I will claim the championship title.” Mattsun rolled his head to stretch out his neck, really getting into his role. “Alright it’s time.”</p><p>He stepped up to the plate and placed his ball down perfectly center. The final hole consisted of a long straight path, but the sides lifted in different sizes to create hills that if aimed towards would throw off the trajectory of the ball. He adjusted his grip, took in a single breath, swung back and hit. The ball seemed like it was going to head directly into the hole, but two-thirds of the way down, it began to veer off to the side, hit the lip of a hill, and rolled right past the top. </p><p>Mattsun dramatically fell to his knees, fists slamming into the ground. “DAMN IT.”</p><p>“Dear, you haven’t lost yet,” Makki said, rubbing his back. </p><p>“No...I have. I just know it.” Mattsun stood up and brushed the dirt off his bare knees. He looked back to his competitor. “Mate, if you miss this, it's all over for you too. Either you take this win, or we go home tied.” </p><p>Iwaizumi nodded seriously. It seemed like he was getting into this roleplay too. Oikawa, against his will, decided to join in. He walked up and put a hand on Iwaizumi’s shoulder. </p><p>“Just one hit. That’s all you have.” Iwaizumi was eyeing the track, his head going a mile a minute thinking up strategies. “This is your time to shine. I believe in you.” He leaned in closer to say his last part. “A hole-in-one and the prize is all yours.” </p><p>Iwaizumi glanced over then turned his focus back forward. “A hole-in-one. I’ve done it before, I can do it again.” Oikawa squeezed his arm before backing up. Iwaizumi placed the ball down, perfectly centered just like the other’s, and lined it up. He swung back a few times to make sure he wasn’t twisting the putter before bringing it back down to line it up one final time. He eyed the hole and swung back to follow through. The ball careened forward, heading straight for the hole. However, it started to take the same path as Mattsun’s. They all watched with bated breath as it rolled over that same lip; however, Iwaizumi had made sure to hit his harder. The ball passed by the hole just like the previous, but hit off the backboard to land directly into the hole. </p><p>They all stared in wonder, before Oikawa and Iwaizumi cheered. Mattsun shook his head ruefully. “I can’t believe I lost. Even worse it was fair and square.”</p><p>Makki patted his shoulder tenderly. “It’s okay, I’ll still give you your prize, even though you don't deserve it.” Mattsun sighed an <em>I love you </em>into Makki’s hair as Makki turned to face the winners. </p><p>“I believe you owe Iwaizumi a prize,” he said as he comforted Mattsun. Oikawa looked up to face Iwaizumi. He was waiting patiently, not making a single move. </p><p>Oikawa moved closer and wrapped his arms around Iwaizumi’s back. “Congratulations on winning,” he said, and leaned in to place a kiss on Iwaizumi’s cheek. </p><p>“Thanks,” Iwaizumi said, a smile growing across his face. He returned the cheek kiss. </p><p>“Are you kidding me,” Makki said flatly. </p><p>“What? You just said I had to kiss him.” Oikawa swiveled his body so he could squish his face up against the spiker’s while facing his best friend. “And I did!”</p><p>“I can’t stand you. That’s why you were so chill with it!” Makki sighed. “Alright as the ultimate loser of the group, I’ll pay for ice cream. Oikawa, come with me to help carry everything as compensation for taking advantage of my challenge.” Oikawa agreed and followed after him. Mattsun was still wallowing in his loss when Iwaizumi walked up to him. </p><p>“We can always have a rematch in the future,” he laughed. Mattsun shook his head to rid himself of his pathetic play. </p><p>“Oh don’t worry, we’re definitely coming back here in the summer. And I’m gonna kick your ass.” He looked to make sure the other two were far enough away. “So? Was that disappointing?” </p><p>Iwaizumi tilted his head in confusion. “Was what disappointing?”</p><p>“That kiss.”</p><p>Iwaizumi looked at him before bursting into laughter and shaking his head. “Dude, no way in hell was that disappointing. I don’t think Oikawa could ever do anything disappointing.” He placed his hand on his cheek where the touch still idled. “I didn’t think it was possible for my heart to race this much.”</p><p>Mattsun breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. Sorry, I had to test you. But I’m glad you feel this happy with him. I was worried you were only going along with him since he’s my boyfriend’s best friend.”</p><p>Iwaizumi nudged his arm. “If that was the case I would’ve told you right away.”</p><p>“I guess so. Alright now that you’ve passed we can finally get some shade.”</p><p>After a nice cool treat under the setting sun, they all returned to the car and prepared to head back home. Even though the days were growing longer, the sun was quickly disappearing behind the horizon. The sky was a misty hue of blue, one side gradually becoming a deeper shade. The heat must've taken a toll on Oikawa as he could feel his eyes struggling to stay open. Instead of fighting it, he let his head fall to the side, right onto Iwaizumi’s shoulder. </p><p>“You okay?” Iwaizumi asked, his voice a soft murmur into Oikawa’s ear. </p><p>“I’m fine,” he mumbled, Oikawa’s mouth partially buried into cloth. “Just tired.”</p><p>His date chuckled and snaked a hand around his back to rest on his hip. Iwaizumi used the hand to keep Oikawa close. “Go ahead and sleep, I’ll wake you up when we arrive at your place.” Oikawa snuggled in closer, sighing into Iwaizumi’s warmth. The windows were slightly cracked open, letting a gentle breeze flow in which made cuddling bearable. </p><p>Oikawa spent most of the ride unconscious. Every once and awhile, he would wake up to see Iwaizumi chatting with the two up front. They were laughing, he couldn’t tell about what, but every time Iwaizumi noticed him staring, his smile softened and he rubbed Oikawa’s arm as he whispered sweet nothings until he fell back asleep. </p><p>It seemed like no time had passed when he was shaken from slumber. “Hey, we’ve arrived.” Oikawa rubbed his eyes groggily and forced himself to pull away from Iwaizumi’s warmth. His side felt unnaturally cold after breaking contact. Oikawa looked up to find Makki also asleep. </p><p>“Is he going to go home with you?” Oikawa asked, his voice a little strained from sleepiness. </p><p>“Yeah, I’ll drive him back here in the morning for your study sesh,” Mattsun said as he patted Makki’s thigh affectionately. </p><p>“Alright, thanks for the ride,” Oikawa said as he moved to exit the car. </p><p>“I’ll walk you up,” Iwaizumi offered. Oikawa smiled in acceptance and they headed up to the front doors. “I had a lot of fun today.” Iwaizumi said as Oikawa played with his fingers behind his back. </p><p>“Me too.” As Iwaizumi went to turn around to leave, Oikawa stopped him. It surprised the both of them. There wasn’t a mood, he wasn’t sure if he was ready, but Oikawa felt the courage to finally take the next step. He peered over Iwaizumi’s shoulder, making sure Mattsun wasn’t watching. “Now that those two aren’t bothering us, I can give you your real prize.” Iwaizumi’s eyes widened as Oikawa cupped his face in his hands and brought their lips crashing together. Iwaisumi’s hands moved up to grasp Oikawa’s shirt at his sides, his eyelids fluttered closed as he pushed their bodies closer. Their mouths opened and closed together, finding a perfect rhythm. The nerves in his lips tingled from the pressure. The feeling of their chests pressed up against the other, and the tiny breaths Iwaizumi let out when he had the chance made Oikawa want to go further. He was about to push his tongue in when he realized he was falling back into routine, the same routine he followed this whole year after the breakup. It was what he was trying to avoid, the rush into what made him feel good physically and what drove everyone he met to only seek him out for that. The emotional hunger he craved was never really satiated until now and he was terrified of losing it. Especially since they weren’t even officially dating yet. He pulled back, face as flushed as his date’s. He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling embarrassed.</p><p>“Uh, text me when you get home!” Oikawa squeaked before rushing inside. </p><p>Iwaizumi stood there in shock. His lips continued to tingle and he gently pressed his fingers against them to savor the feeling. He had kissed people before, but it had never felt this way. <em>I guess no one else can compare to Oikawa</em>. A simple kiss on the cheek already drove him wild. This encounter left him spiraling.  </p><p>He walked back slowly and slid quietly into the back seat. Mattsun looked over his shoulder with a knowing expression before driving off. </p><p>“So…,” Mattsun started. </p><p>“I didn’t know kissing could feel that good,” Iwaizumi admitted absentmindedly. He just stared out the window, mind replaying the same moment over and over. </p><p>“Dude...you’re so whipped.” Mattsun laughed tenderly. </p><p>“So when are you going to ask him out?” a third voice chimed in. Makki tilted his head back at Iwaizumi. The boy in the back shuffled uncomfortably in his seat at the question. </p><p>“Since when were you awake?” Mattsun asked. He reached his hand over to rest it back on Makki’s thigh. </p><p>“I heard from life changing kiss on,” Makki smirked. “Anyways, don’t avoid my question. You’ve been seeing each other for a bit, you had a <em>magical</em> kiss,” Makki made sure he dragged that part out, “and you two clearly really like each other.” He adjusted himself so he could look directly at Iwaizumi and suddenly went serious. “Oikawa is my best friend. He deserves someone who will treasure him. If you’re having second thoughts, break this off now. He’s already been hurt enough. But if you truly want to be with him, then do something about it. Oikawa isn’t a coward, but his romantic experiences have made him one in this field.” Mattsun for once stayed silent. “So are you serious?”</p><p>“I really am serious. I promise,” Iwaizumi stated as he stared into Makki’s unwavering eyes, not backing down. “I’m new to this, to this side of dating, but I’m confident in my feelings. I guess I wasn’t sure if Oikawa was ready like me, but after <em>that</em>...I think he is.” </p><p>Makki looked at him for a moment more, before turning back around, closing his eyes. “Good, because we are not doing another double date until you two are boyfriends.” </p><p>Mattsun simply hummed in acknowledgement, letting the conversation simmer. Iwaizumi slumped back into the seat. Makki was right, there wasn’t any reason to not ask Oikawa out. Oikawa had shown courage and initiative that Iwaizumi was lacking. It was his turn to finally step up and prove his feelings were real. He returned to staring out the window, this time planning how to make his relationship official. </p><p>
  <em>Ah, he still has my hat. </em>
</p><p>How many dates does it take to fall in love? Doesn’t seem like three. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>you know, this honestly might by my favorite chapter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Study Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“God, please kill me,” Oikawa groaned as he put his head into his arms, pushing them further into the table.</p>
<p>“God isn’t kind enough to kill us,” Makki said, rubbing his tired eyes until they felt numb.</p>
<p>The two of them had been studying in the library for hours. Finals were here and the library had become a second home for them. In fact, Oikawa was positive they had spent more time here than their actual homes this past week. </p>
<p>“What time is it?” Oikawa asked, not lifting his head. He heard the other slowly shuffle around, half-heartedly looking for his phone. </p>
<p>“Twelve thirty. We have thirty minutes left until closing time.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think I can last that long. Did you text the boyfriend?” Oikawa painfully adjusted his head to look at Makki. </p>
<p>“Yeah, he said he’d be here soon like...ten minutes ago.” Makki went from rubbing his eyes to the back of his neck, the soreness from staring down constantly getting to him. </p>
<p>Oikawa groaned again. “No offense, but I’m going to murder him if he doesn’t show up within the next five minutes.”</p>
<p>“No offense taken,” Makki said, his hands moving down to absentmindedly flip through textbook pages, “I’ll help.”</p>
<p>As if on cue, the library doors opened and in walked two students, one carrying a tray of coffees. </p>
<p>“Your saviors have arrived!” Mattsun exclaimed, having way too much energy at this time of night. </p>
<p>“Hand it over before I kill you and your entire major,” Makki snapped. He raised his hand expectantly without taking his eyes off his book. It was quickly filled by a coffee cup.</p>
<p>“You aren’t safe either Iwaizumi.” Oikawa looked up through lidded eyes as Iwaizumi slid into the seat next to him. </p>
<p>“Can I bribe you for my safety with this?” he chuckled as he handed Oikawa his cup. </p>
<p>“For now, I guess. I swear if the caffeine doesn’t kick in by the time I finish this I’m going to go mental.” Oikawa then proceeded to chug it as quickly as he could. Makki followed his lead. </p>
<p>“When is your last final?” Iwaizumi asked when Oikawa was finished. </p>
<p>“Friday. Just two more days and it is glorious summer vacation.” He stretched his arms above his head. “I thought you two still had a project to present?”</p>
<p>“We presented today, but we finished the thing a couple days ago. Maybe you two need to manage your time better,” Mattsun teased. </p>
<p>“Issei, I swear to god if you open your mouth to spew shit like that one more time I will be marching to the head of your fucking accelerated engineering program, stab him in the back, and then change your entire semester’s grades so that you fail every class,” Makki stated, cold as ice. Mattsun immediately shut up. </p>
<p>Oikawa managed to huff out a laugh. Makki only used first names when he meant business or when you had taken things too far, which did not happen very often. It was also nice to see Mattsun put in his place every once and while. </p>
<p>“Are you going to be studying like this tomorrow too?” Iwaizumi whispered to Oikawa.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Well, I have a final at eleven. I’m hoping to finish within two hours so I can come back here to start studying at one,” Oikawa said, keeping his own voice quiet. </p>
<p>“Do you want me to help you study? I’ve got nothing going on and Mattsun is working a double.”</p>
<p>Oikawa pondered this request. He knew that Iwaizumi would be too much of a distraction for him. It was easier to focus when studying with Makki. Besides, summer vacation was just around the corner. They would hopefully be spending most of it together, what’s one more day of limited contact? But the offer was so tempting. To be able to spend almost an entire day with Iwaizumi was all Oikawa wanted after such limited interaction from the constant studying. </p>
<p>No matter how much he tried to convince himself to reject Iwaizumi, there was just that nagging bit of him that wanted a break. Iwaizumi would be like a breath of fresh air to break this stuffy mood Oikawa was in. Plus, he was smart and dedicated, surely they would spend the time just studying anyways. Oikawa internally promised to keep himself in check until he was free. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I would love that,” Oikawa agreed. Iwaizumi gave one of his small polite smiles that hid how truly excited he actually was. </p>
<p>“You’re really going to abandon me?” Makki grumbled under his breath. “Some friend you are.”</p>
<p>Oikawa whipped his head to look at him, eyes wide. “Why are you listening in on our conversation?” he grumbled back. “What’s your problem?” Makki looked up at him and he looked <em>pissed</em>. </p>
<p>“I don’t have a problem. I just don’t understand why you would make a promise to study with me and then, when you have the chance, ditch me to mess around with your boy toy,” he snarled. A sudden tension filled the air. Mattsun and Iwaizumi looked at each other helplessly. </p>
<p>“Hey-,” Mattsun began to try and deescalate the situation before Oikawa interrupted him. </p>
<p>“Makki, what the fuck is wrong with you,” he retorted, his voice reminiscent of a low growl. He knew deep down the irritation they both felt came from a severe lack of sleep and a high amount of stress, but that understanding didn’t dull the amount of anger Oikawa felt. Especially at a certain implication Makki made. Iwaizumi wasn’t just a boy toy. Yeah, they really hadn’t defined their relationship yet but… A pang of anxiety shot through Oikawa as he realized there was really nothing keeping them together. Sure, he had spent his last year in nothing but no strings attached relationships, but this one was different, right? He had been making sure to go slow, to really savor each moment in order to grow close emotionally before physically. But was this too slow? Was Iwaizumi going to leave him to search for someone who could actually provide both aspects right away? Or was he really just like the others? </p>
<p>No, that was stupid. Why would he have stayed this long if he didn’t want to actually be with Oikawa. Still, the uncertainty of what they were left Oikawa feeling down. Suddenly, Oikawa wasn’t angry anymore. In fact, he felt like he was going to start crying. Makki noticed the change in behavior and realized the damage his words had done. A look of horror appeared on his face.</p>
<p>“Oikawa, I’m so sorry,” Makki apologized, his eyebrows furrowing together as his voice trembled a bit on the ‘sorry’ part. “I guess I’m getting so tired that I seem to be taking out my irritation on everyone. I’ll study by myself tomorrow. You two enjoy your time.” He stood up with such force, his chair made a horrible scratching noise as it slid back. He began to hastily pack his things, keeping his head down. </p>
<p>Oikawa saw the tears starting to form in his eyes and it only made him more anxious. “Hey, Makki, hold on.” Oikawa started packing up his own things and walked over to help the struggling boy. When they finished, he turned to the stunned half of the group. “I’m sorry about this, but I’m going to go home with Makki. I think we can study a little more at my place. Sorry you came out all this way just to drop off coffees.”</p>
<p>Iwaizumi stood up and nodded in understanding. “It’s okay, I don’t mind being your coffee boy.”</p>
<p>“Excuse me, I do,” Mattsun started before Oikawa and Iwaizumi glared at him. “I’m kidding!” He walked over to place a kiss on Makki’s head. “I’ll come pick you up tomorrow and take you to your favorite coffee shop in the morning.”</p>
<p>Makki sighed into his embrace. “Thank you, I promise I’ll feel better tomorrow.”</p>
<p>Mattsun pulled him even closer. “It’s okay if you don’t.” </p>
<p>As the two quietly talked things out, Iwaizumi came up behind Oikawa and squeezed his hand. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>He sighed and squeezed back. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Sorry you had to see us in such a bad light.”</p>
<p>“I don’t mind, trust me. Do you still want to study together tomorrow?” Oikawa glanced at Makki. </p>
<p>“Let me talk with him about it first. I’ll text you later.” Iwaizumi pulled him in to plant a quick peck on his cheek as his goodbye. Mattsun and Iwaizumi headed out soon after. </p>
<p>Makki immediately turned back to Oikawa as soon as they were gone. “I’m really sorry Oikawa, I really didn’t mean anything by it.” A few drops slipped out from the corner of his eyes. </p>
<p>“Hey, I’m fine. I really mean that. But, if you don’t mind, I do want to talk more about this on the car ride back.” Makki nodded, brushing away the stray tears away, and joined Oikawa in his car. </p>
<p>Oikawa rolled the windows down to appreciate the early summer breeze. He left the music on low so the sounds of crickets and cicadas could break through. The drive was silent until he spoke up. </p>
<p>“To be honest, I wasn’t really thinking about things like that until you mentioned it.” Oikawa kept his eyes on the road, but noticed in his peripheral vision Makki turned his head to look at him. “Everything in my life has moved way too fast. My childhood living with both of my parents, my volleyball career, and especially my own personal relationships. So when I was finally given the opportunity to take things slow, I took it without hesitation. This is how things should go, this was how I always wanted to feel. I was able to take control over my life, and direct it how I wanted. But, now I’m starting to think that things happen quickly in my life for a reason. That I’m not supposed to have control, I’m not supposed to lead my life the way I want. Look at me and Iwaizumi. We’ve been seeing each other for months and yet nothing has changed. With the others, I felt safe in at least knowing they wanted a part of me. What does he even want from me, if I can’t give him that? Does he even actually want to be with me, or is he just still here because of you and Mattsun…” Oikawa could feel his eyes clouding up. The street lights began stretching out from their central points, until they formed long horizontal lines. </p>
<p>Makki bit his tongue. He knew Iwaizumi’s true feelings, but was it his place to speak on them? </p>
<p>“Listen, Tooru…” Oikawa knew, <em>when he uses your first name he means business</em>. “I don’t know where you got this idea that you have no control, because you do. You had the ability to control which parent you wanted to live with. You controlled what sport you wanted to play in highschool. And in that sport you controlled everything: the ball itself, your teammates, hell, even the coach basically took all his advice from you. You’re not going to like this last part, but I think you’ve had control in your relationships too. You controlled what side you wanted them to see, how far you would let them take it, and controlled yourself to do nothing about it when they left. That same thing is happening again, except this time you’ve taken a different approach. And, I think you’ve done that because you know this one is different.” Makki let his words soak in before continuing. “Also, it’s bullshit that you’re making up Iwaizumi’s feelings for him. Have you even asked him how he feels about you? Did you even try? Or did you assume.”</p>
<p>Oikawa sniffled. “I assumed.”</p>
<p>“That’s right. So instead of moping around and complaining to me about how he doesn’t like you, why don’t you ask him and see how he actually feels.” Makki paused. “Sorry for being so blunt.”</p>
<p>“No, thank you. I think I needed to hear that.” He stole a glance at Makki, who was watching him with tear-filled eyes himself. “I love you Makki.”</p>
<p>Makki gently pushed him away. “Don’t get all sappy on me.” </p>
<p>“I can be as sappy as I want to,” Oikawa snickered, finally feeling a bit lighter. The drive returned to silence, but a weight was visibly lifted off both their shoulders. Oikawa’s feelings were affirmed and then quickly debunked. Makki had been able to properly apologize and help Oikawa work through what laid heavy on his mind. All that came next was for one of them to ask the other out. </p>
<p>“Do you want to hang out tomorrow? I can always give Iwaizumi a rain check,” Oikawa asked. Working out his new relationship was important, but keeping his oldest and closest friend happy would always be his top priority. </p>
<p>“Nah, I actually think it’ll be good to have a day to myself. Wait, speaking of studying, we’re not actually going to continue when we get to your apartment, are we?” Makki said, rising in his seat, suddenly remembering the last conversation in the library. </p>
<p>“Oh hell no,” Oikawa laughed. </p>
<p>“Thank god, because the second I find a blanket I’m out.”</p>
<p>*	*	*</p>
<p>Oikawa chugged down his third coffee of the day on his way home from his final. It went as smoothly as one could go; he either knew most of the questions or remembered everything wrong. He was simultaneously looking forward to and dreading returning home. On one hand, going home meant being able to hang out with Iwaizumi for a day after not really seeing each other for a whole week. On the other hand, going home meant he had to get right back into studying. It felt like if he tried to memorize any more information his brain was going to burst. But it was the home stretch, the last final to study for. He worked hard for so long, all he had to do was forget about his mental health and well being for one more day. </p>
<p>He spent the time waiting for Iwaizumi to arrive changing into more comfortable clothes and brewing up another coffee. This surely was going to leave a lasting negative effect on his body for the next few days, but for acing a final it would be worth it. <em>I think</em>. </p>
<p>As he started to spread out textbooks and completely filled in notebooks, his phone vibrated from an incoming text. Specifically, a text from Iwaizumi stating he had arrived. </p>
<p>“Sorry for running late, there was an accident and cars were backed up for like twenty minutes,” Iwaizumi said as Oikawa let him in. </p>
<p>“No worries, I barely even started.” Oikawa walked back over to the table in the kitchen where all his study materials were laid out. </p>
<p>As Iwaizumi sat down next to him, he sheepishly said, “I know I said I would help you study, but uh, I’m not really sure how. I guess I can quiz you on things if you need me to.”</p>
<p>“Yeah that would be great. Let me review a few things first.” Oikawa got to work going over his notes. It was slightly hard to focus, what with Iwaizumi just sitting there reading something on his phone and the exhaustion taking over his body. He took a sip from his coffee, hoping the effects would kick in, but nothing seemed to be helping. He could feel Iwaizumi’s gaze every once and a while, until it seemed it was never leaving him. </p>
<p>“Is there something you want to say,” Oikawa spat. He knew he was lashing out, just like last night, but his mouth seemed to keep moving before his brain could stop him. “I really need to focus on this so just spit it out.”</p>
<p>“Are you even retaining information?” Iwaizumi asked, fully dropping his polite smile. </p>
<p>“Of course I am.” Oikawa finally looked up to see only concern on the other’s face. </p>
<p>“Oikawa, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you look like shit.” Oikawa reeled back and was about to lash out again, but Iwaizumi kept going. “Have you even slept at all recently?” </p>
<p>Oikawa put his head back down. “I’m at least getting an hour a night.” </p>
<p>“One hour a <em>night</em>,” Iwaizumi reiterated, looking abashed. “Oikawa listen, I don’t want to overstep my boundaries here, but I know from personal experience that trying to study while exhausted isn’t gonna give you any results.” Oikawa ignored him and tried to keep reading. “What was the last sentence you just read,” Iwaizumi sighed into his hand.</p>
<p>“Huh?” Oikawa stopped and tried to recall. “Um…” He started to sneakily try and reread the sentence, but his eyes darting back and forth gave him away. Before Iwaizumi could confront him, he spoke up. “Look, I know this isn’t good for me, but I can’t rest until I take my final tomorrow!”</p>
<p>“Why not?” </p>
<p>Oikawa paused, finally looking back up to see Iwaizumi’s eyes unwavering, waiting for him patiently. “I’ve been struggling in these last two classes the whole semester. It didn’t take me very long to learn that economics is <em>really</em> not my strong suit. But, in order to keep my scholarship I have to get at least an A on one of these finals. Today went...alright but not above a B alright. If I don’t pass this with flying colors then I lose my scholarship and I’m fucked.” Oikawa could feel his eyes swelling up. He never cried, ever. The amount of sheer willpower and determination he had on most days prevented him from really expressing these kinds of emotions. However, his lack of sleep really was getting to him as he found himself being moved to tears more than once these past couple days. </p>
<p>Iwaizumi noticed his change in attitude and immediately felt guilt at pushing the topic. “Oikawa, I’m sorry-,” he started. </p>
<p>“No it’s fine,” Oikawa interrupted. “I mean, it’s not but, I just need to work hard for one more day and then I can rest.” He quickly wiped his eyes, trying to stop any more tears from falling. </p>
<p>Iwaizumi let him calm down a bit before continuing. “Oikawa, I know this is really important to you, but if you can’t even remember the last sentence you read, trying to force yourself to work hard isn’t going to change your outcome. You need sleep. Like more than an hour’s worth of sleep.” </p>
<p>Oikawa played with his fingers as he always did when he was contemplating things. There were other reasons for him to do this, but right now he used them as a grounding method to let his mind think. “I know you’re right,” he said after a moment. “But it’s hard for me to relax when I have something I want to accomplish.”</p>
<p>“Then let’s compromise,” Iwaizumi said, reaching over to grasp Oikawa’s hands in his. “How about you sleep for a few hours, let your body rest. and recover a bit. And then I’ll wake you up at say seven or eight, we have dinner so you can regain some more energy, and then you can go back to studying for however long your studious little heart desires.” </p>
<p>His smile was so soft, Oikawa couldn’t help but give in. “Alright.” He stared at their hands for a moment before looking up at Iwaizumi, a little bit of light returning to his eyes. “But if you don’t wake me up I’ll make you pay for this semester,” he teased.</p>
<p>“I promise, I promise,” Iwaizumi chuckled as he helped Oikawa up. They headed into the bedroom and Oikawa gently slipped under the covers. As Iwaizumi was about to leave he reached out and grabbed a hold of his hand.</p>
<p>“Hold on,” he squeaked, suddenly aware that his body moved on its own. Iwaizumi turned around with his eyebrow raised and a small smirk rising from the corner of his lips. </p>
<p>“It’s hard for me to fall asleep in silence,” Oikawa lied. “Can...can we talk until I fall asleep?” </p>
<p>Iwaizumi only smiled and sat on the side of the bed as Oikawa moved closer to the wall. “Anything in particular you want to talk about?” </p>
<p>“Hm, no just anything will do,” Oikawa hummed. </p>
<p>“Well I did want to ask you something, but I’m worried it’ll make you more upset,” he confessed. </p>
<p>Oikawa paused. “Go ahead and ask. Might as well get all the animosity out now so I can sleep it off,” he huffed slightly into his pillow. </p>
<p>“I’m assuming from your scholarship talk that you pay for college yourself?” Iwaizumi looked for his answer and continued when Oikawa confirmed by nodding his head. “Is there a reason why your parents don’t help you?”</p>
<p>Oikawa’s eyes widened. “Ah, no reason in particular. Basically my whole life it’s just been me and my mom. I didn’t want to make her worry about tuition so I volunteered to pay it all myself. I’m sure if I asked she would help but she’s done a lot for me, this is the least I can do.” </p>
<p>Iwaizumi sighed in relief hearing that the situation wasn’t like he thought. “She sounds like a good mom.” He turned his head away as he said that and Oikawa could tell there was more meaning there than Iwaizumi was letting on. </p>
<p>“Can I possibly upset you too?” Oikawa asked shyly. </p>
<p>Iwaizumi looked back and started talking before Oikawa could ask. “I haven’t talked to my parents since the day they kicked me out and told me to never show my face around them again.” He was smiling, but it was sad and it looked as if he was seeing through Oikawa’s bed sheets at a memory that wasn’t there. </p>
<p>Oikawa only reached out to grab his wrist and Iwaizumi took that as an incentive to lie down next to Oikawa on his back, eyes facing the ceiling. Oikawa’s hand slid down from Iwaizumi’s wrist to intertwine their fingers together. Iwaizumi squeezed his hand to press their palms as close together as he could before continuing. </p>
<p>“It was really the main reason I was never out for so long. I had an inkling that they wouldn’t accept it, but I couldn’t take it anymore. There was also the hope that I was overthinking it and maybe they were more open-minded than I thought.” He turned over to face Oikawa. “Sorry to tell such a sad story.” </p>
<p>Oikawa shuffled closer to him. He released their clasped hands to rest his hands on Iwaizumi’s chest. In response, Iwaizumi rested his hand on Oikawa’s hip. “Don’t worry about it. I want to know everything about you: the good and the bad.” He gestured to himself before adding, “You’ve already seen so many sides to me.” </p>
<p>It got a soft smile out of Iwaizumi and Oikawa relaxed at the sight. “Plus, I’m sure my mom can make up for how shitty your parents are.”</p>
<p>Iwaizumi’s eyes glinted mischievously for a moment. “Are you asking me to meet your parent?”</p>
<p>At that, Oikawa’s whole face flushed red. He buried his face into Iwaizumi’s chest, trying to hide how flustered he was. Iwaizumi laughed and pulled Oikawa closer as he groaned loudly. “I can’t believe you, don’t tease me like this!” </p>
<p>Iwaizumi pulled him back so he could look at Oikawa’s slowly fading blush. “You’re so cute.” His eyes crinkled up as Oikawa’s blush returned immediately. </p>
<p>Oikawa pouted, but not for long as Iwaizumi closed the gap between them and gently placed a kiss on his lips. Oikawa returned it instantly, closing his eyes and leaning into it. </p>
<p>Their kisses were slow and drawn out, nothing like what Oikawa was used to. Every kiss others shared with him was fast, they were urgent, they were sloppy and sometimes forced. But this was different. This whole sensation was different. </p>
<p>These kisses were gentle. Every time Iwaizumi’s lips returned for more they only brushed over his like the way you’d run your hand down the handle of a staircase or how you’d scoop up sand and let it sift between your fingers and guide it’s fall. The pressure was still there, it was still enough to send shivers down Oikawa’s spine, but it wasn’t forcing him back. It was almost as if they were inviting him in, letting Oikawa have the control. </p>
<p>These kisses were languid, they were hot, and Oikawa couldn’t help but completely melt into them. His hands fisted the fabric resting against Iwaizumi’s chest as Iwaizumi moved his hand up to card his fingers through Oikawa’s hair. Oikawa could feel the steady rise and fall on his knuckles and the rhythmic motion slowed down the kisses even more. He could feel himself slipping, his grasp coming undone, sleep finally taking over him, and the last sensation he felt was the soft break between their lips and Iwaizumi’s forehead pressing into his own. </p>
<p>*	*	*</p>
<p>Iwaizumi didn’t notice he had fallen asleep as well until the shrill ringing from his phone alarm woke him up. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Oikawa sleeping peacefully, his nose making a tiny whistling sound as he breathed in and out. The sheets moved slightly as he pushed himself up to turn off the alarm. </p>
<p>Iwaizumi knew he should get up and start making dinner for them, but he found himself unable to move from his position. There were very little chances to just take in Oikawa’s features, who was he to not take it now? </p>
<p>His gaze first lingered on his eyes. They were typically open, bright and shining despite his dark brown irises. But, them being closed really accentuated how long his eyelashes were. They gently brushed against the skin under his eyes and twitched as his eyes moved under their lids as Oikawa dreamed. </p>
<p>His gaze moved down to those cheeks next, he loved when Oikawa pouted and puffed them up showing how chubby they secretly were. For the first time, he noticed the very light sprinkle of freckles running across the bridge of his nose. </p>
<p>Finally, he traced the outline of his lips, remembering the moment they shared before falling asleep in each other’s arms. He could feel the tips of his ears getting hot. Everything Oikawa did left him blushing, it was impossible to stay calm. He was proud he actually initiated a kiss between them. It seemed Oikawa was always the one to start things and Iwaizumi only followed. </p>
<p>Ever since his talk with Makki, he was determined to find the perfect way to ask Oikawa out, officially. However, the timing never felt right. At this point he was getting frustrated with himself, realizing how nerve wracking actually trying to ask someone who you liked out was. It was only recently he learned the way Oikawa made him feel, no one else had even come close. </p>
<p>As he was deeply thinking about ways to bring the topic up, Oikawa shifted and his eyes fluttered open. He reached a hand up to rub at them and saw Iwaizumi watching him. </p>
<p>“How long have you been up?” Oikawa asked, his voice laden with drowsiness. </p>
<p>“I woke up right before you,” Iwaizumi said, settling back down. </p>
<p>“Liar,” Oikawa chuckled, letting his eyes close once again. “I know we have to get up but let me just stay here for a few more minutes.” The end of his sentence ended up being muffled as he snuggled into Iwaizumi’s shoulder. Iwaizumi didn’t protest as he went back to observing.</p>
<p>Maybe he could do it now. His mind was a little foggy, but Oikawa was here, right in front of him, his focus only on Iwaizumi and the warmth of the sheets. </p>
<p>“Hey, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi tentatively asked before he could regret it. Oikawa hummed as he opened his eyes again. </p>
<p>“What is it?” he said as he peered up into Iwaizumi’s eyes. The moment, that perfect moment he was searching for was here. And Oikawa’s soft smile was enough to make him want to proclaim his feelings to the whole world. </p>
<p>But, even though all the previous times he stopped himself were excuses, now really wasn’t the time. Oikawa had just professed how important studying for this final was. Who was Iwaizumi if he asked now, and ended up becoming the reason Oikawa couldn’t focus on studying and ultimately the reason he lost his scholarship? Now may have been the perfect time for him, but it was not the perfect time for Oikawa. </p>
<p>“I’m going to go make dinner. You can go back to sleep and I’ll wake you up when it's finished.” Iwaizumi was a coward, he knew he was, but Oikawa deserved this scholarship. He deserved to have his full attention on studying and studying <em>only </em>for now. But next time, <em>next time for sure</em>, Iwaizumi would find that moment and shed his hesitation. </p>
<p>And so, the study date continued after dinner, the scent of curry still filled the room as Oikawa dived into his notes with a clearer mind. Iwaizumi ended up reading the words off of flashcards while Oikawa sat in his lap and attempted to recite the definitions. The night ended at an unreasonable time, but with them once again asleep in each other’s arms. The feelings between them grew stronger and yet, managed to stay at a standstill as neither was confident enough to say them out loud. </p>
<p>How many dates does it take to fall in love? For right now, not four. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this chapter has been done for like months I just kept wanting to edit it lol. anyways take this for now as I struggle to write chapter 5</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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